tomfoolery & every1is1
thanks
look forward to talking more to ya both
lots to talk about here
almost toooooo much !
but its good to see it happen
its funny how things just seem to take a natural course
one that seems to put the right people in the right place at the right time
strange that it would be an internet message board -but wonders never cease!
a big hello to all friends old and new.
love to all
"in the big dream"

Jaynote...BORING?!? - sounds great! I've got a great job, a neat house, collectable cars, custom motorcycle, home theater, more brushes with fame than I can remember and it all means nothing 'cause I have no one I REALLY love to share it with. Don't get me wrong, I'm not depressed and I do like my life..it could just be so much more fulfilling with a family to dig it all with. I have a girlfriend...but it's going nowhere (and has been for sometime, unfortunately). So when you talk about your life, remember it's your love that brings the color and the joy - the toys, experieneces and work are just the window dressing.

Yesman, no doubt!
"Never underestimate the signals coming to you"... I love that tune, and its really been speaking to me. "The spirit moves in mysterious ways"
When we get all caught up in the world (actually a good thing) angels are showing us the way in so many ways.
"All we have to do
is make sure
we keep TALKing"

Take it light.<img src=pix/icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>

<font size=3>Oh, Yessong, there's no doubt that wealth and success are comfortable, but it's isolated me more. Since I can afford to be choosier concerning women, I'm that much more paranoid in relationships. I have issues now with the allure of much younger women, versus my conscience. Well, I live in a small college town, so a large percentage of the population is young and female. The women my age are either married, lesbian, or even too weird for me, and believe me, I'm damn tolerant of weird females. So I don't have my soul mate yet, but I'm learning, and having fun. And one of these days, one will ask to get naked and listen to Heart of the Sunrise. And that would be a great start to a relationship . . . </font id=size3><img src=pix/icon_smokin.gif border=0 align=middle>

<hr>"Jon gave the best description of himself to me, better than anyone else could do. He said, "I am the only man who is fighting to save this world while living on another!" -- Rick, '94, Yesstories.

though I understand the desire for that closeness of the mate, you still can find equally powerful love. IMO, if you can't find it without that special person, you likely won't find it with, either. But really my reason for this post is more to say, that you already do have real love in your life, and I recommend that you appreciate it. I think most (at least 50%) singles understimate the power of the love they feel day to day. This is one arena where the old religions (buddhism, etc) view of desire being the obstacle to enlightenment (aka universal unconditional love) is obviously apparent.

Still, I want one (or several) as much as the next person.

<hr>Waiting for the moment when the moment has been waiting all the time.

Ah, Life and Love -- the great mysteries!
Singles, don't forget: you can be married and/or living with that "special someone" and still be the lonliest person in the world. Being married for going on 26 years, I can tell you that when you find that person, the work isn't over. A relationship goes through high tides and low tides, and it takes EFFORT to keep it flowing. So many have this idea that after finding THE one, you float off into the "heart of the sunrise"... or whatever. There's so much that life brings your way that pose many challenges to work through. But anything worth having requires some work and sacrifice. These things are something few people are willing to give. I have to be reminded of this now and again! <img src=pix/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

Im very sorry to hear that 90125. I've been there/done that with drugs too and I know where youre coming from.

My best friend Kara is into heroin now. She lives in Columbus, so I never get to see her much. I knew she'd done it before but only a few times, and I never made a stink about it because I was always into drugs too and figured, eh a few times cant hurt right?

Well she called me a few days ago and I was so happy to hear from her. For me, ages 14-19 I didnt go a day without seeing her. Im serious we hung out EVERY day and always went out together and had our share of crazy nutty times. I loved her to death and I was very sad when she moved. I was supposed to move with her but she decided to move on a tuesday and was gone by thursday! She was the most carefree, spontaneous person I ever knew. Its been a year and a half and my life hasnt really been the same since, mainly in the respect that I'm lacking a best friend. <img src=pix/icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>

Anyways she rang me and we talked for a little, and one part of the conversation went.

"So catch me up! How ya been, whatcha been up to?!?!?!"

"Heroin"

What a response, eh? I told her to watch her ass, and I got the not-so-reassuring statement of "Its only once a week, dont worry." Have you ever seen the Red Hot Chillie Peppers behind the music where Anthony Kedis talks about the steps of addiction? It was to the effect of "Im doing this today, but Im not doing it for a week. Then its Im doing it today, but Im not touching it for a few more days. Then it goes I just did this yesterday but Im not doing it two days in a row ever again..." You get the point, you believe in the lies the drug is telling you. And thats what Im worried about. We always did drugs together and I know how she is with them. There was a period where I was way more over the top with them than her, but I never touched heroin and have no desire too, after hearing all the horror stories. I hope she's ok. I really hope we dont have to have a repeat experience of this with another Yestalk member. I feel for ya man.

I was a pretty big druggie for the majority of my teen years, thank god I never got addicted to anything. I was a "weekend drug addict" if you will.

The worst was when I got arrested 3 hours from home. I was at a rave and it got seriously raided. The police were searching everybody and anybody and just looking for any reason to lock up anybody they could. They got me in the parking lot. I'd injested some serious amounts of ecstacy and cystal meth so it just seemed like a big blur to me. Needless to say, I had a near-empty bag of crystal and they found it, so i got charged with drug possession and paraphernalia and had to spend a few days in the county jail. It was so humiliating. And it was so wierd being so wacked out on drugs in jail, and least the first few hours of jail werent too bad!
The worst was having to call my parents to bail me out. I was 3 hours away from home and FRESHLY 18, so of course I could be charged as an adult now. The stay in jail wasnt so bad, I was in a cell with a bunch of kids from the party (who I ended up running into frequently later on) so passing time wasnt a problem.

At first I was really scared I would get my ass beat. They took me in in full rave attire, glitter, rainbow-stickered visor, sparkly blue nail polish, butterfly wand, glowsicks, etc. And I felt like such a fool with all this stuff on all of a sudden. I got a lot of snickers and yells from the guys in other cells, thank god I got to get a shower.

They never gave me a phone call- my mom called Karas mom asking where I was and of course she had to tell her. Kara waited around ALL DAY trying to find out what was up with me and they didnt tell her anything (very ballsy of her to be waiting in the lobby of the police station under the influence of drugs! Not to mention all the shit she had on her) Eventually I did get my phone call, and I had to be in court every other monday at 8 am, meaning my mom would have to take off work and drive me and wed have to wake and get dressed up at 430 am. I also had to shell out 5 grand for a lawyer. I went through this for 8 months, and let me tell you the relief when my charges got dropped! I will admit I was guilty as charged, but the arrest was illegal. VERY illegal. It was a violation, I was doing nothing suspicious but sitting in the back seat of a car leaving from a party. My lawyer was SO awesome to watch! He made the cop look like such a retard! It took me anoher year or so to shape up and not do drugs anymore, I always had the experience in the back of my mind and it was eating at me. It was easy, I was just like "Eh, Im sick of this." No counseling, no withdrawal, nothing. And this was during my 2 month straight Ketamine binge.

And here I am, clean and sober(pretty much) with a shitty job playing in a dead end metal band! Life is grand! LOL

have not heard any of the new Tool yet
I liked a perfect circle but it wasnt Tool
glad they're back. I actually got some good news about my brother it looks like he's come out of the coma yesterday night and is breathing on his own now - pretty confused but alive not sure to what extent if any brain damage . big relief after a month .
yeah drugs well I never messed with heroin
but i did all the rest (except angel dust) on a fairly consistant basis in high school.
after I got married which was pretty early in life I still played around with Acid -schrooms - pot and coke for a few years -
then i started having anxiety attacks
so I dropped the acid and coke and drinking when I was about 22 i still snorted a line or two a few times a year until about 5 years ago -now i dont drink or use any "heavy drugs" I'm still a regular pot smoker and I think if a mushroom rolled around I'd probly eat it (though I haven't in like 10 years) but i am pretty much strait otherwise- I actually quit smoking ciggarettes 6 months ago (gained almost 30 pounds too, which wasnt so bad cause I needed about 15 pounds anyway)
but Eric I know what you mean when friends get lost in heroine or crack they really become lost there's a very evil aspect to it all and its really a shame - I imagine in the times we live in that a lot of us could share stories about lost friends and family
to drugs and alcohol . its been a regular occurance for me - I'm just thankfull that I'm still here - I believe in a really pretty simplistic sort of existance. I guess
I want to take the time now to look around a little and see whats going on -I dont really try to hide or be sneaky about anything, like most people i'm just trying to figure out what its all about and where I fit in to the whole deal.
now in my own personal situation with respect to my brother I'm just trying to fugure out what to say to him - I know from my own experiences you cant make anyone do anything they dont want too (I have kids)
so i guess its just "bro, I love you-and I want you to live" but he's going home to a girlfriend that is further down the road of the needle than he is she basicly left him to die in her own stupor thank God a neighbor found him convulsing and choking in the backyard. He's only been messing with the needle for about 4 months "on weekends"
but ifs hes allready hooked and he goes back home to the same situation next time he might not wake up.
unfortunately living 1500 miles away all i can do is hope and pray this was a wakeup call.
well more good news the Yes symphonic show was just announced in milwaukee tickets go on sale tommorow am. I think i will take 2 of my kids 10 and 13 they both seem to really want to go - i guess thats old enough
that should be a nice atmosphere i would think. its at a great venue too much better than the last ladder show (we didnt get masterworks here ) my kids love homeworld and 9 voices.
oh well back to livin life instead of talkin about it
peace all
Chris

Wow, what a topic, my head is spinning. It's really great to see that things have progressed to this point here, we have a real family here.

And yesman, that's very good news about your brother, I hope everything turns out alright.

It'd be next to impossible to try to address everything that I've just read in here, but there's no question that we have a bunch of (ok, cliche warning) all good people.

I suppose that I have to admit that even though this topic already has 100 replies, this is the first time I've read any of the messages in this thread. I'm SERIOUSLY behind in YEStalk, and it's getting worse - as the messages continue to get better.....the replies get better...and then the messages get better...on and on.

But I guess this is the Revelation topic, so I'll try to stick to that. I guess the main thing about me is that I always have too many things going, and the result is that I miss out on a lot of stuff, including chatting with everyone here. You'll see what I mean when I get to the part about what I'm up to right now.

Anyway, I'm a city boy, born, raised, and lived all my life in New York City, except for a short stint at Oregon State U. I'm 46, on my second marriage, my 2 boys are grown up and already live on their own. My first wife self destructed on blow about a decade ago, so I finished raising the boys, which wasn't necessarily a great success story.

I'm now married to Deb, we've been together for 10 years, we got married in a cave. Our wedding song was "The Meeting". We've shared our love with close friends on occasion, but I think maybe we're getting too old for that now.

I've been involved with music as long as I can remember. Even when I was really young, I would love listening to any kind of music that my family would put on, and would love watching stuff like Lawrence Welk...although I think that had something to do with the Lennon Sisters.

I started taking piano lessons at about 5 or 6, and did that for a couple of years. I can bang out some chords and play really basic melodies on a keyboard now, but that's about it. And I still remember some music theory, and if I study a page of music for a long time, I can sort of read it. When my 10th birthday was coming around, I decided I HAD to have a guitar, and pestered my parents to get me one. They did - I was the proud owner of a PLASTIC Emenee "electric" guitar. It was a 100% plastic acoustic guitar, and it had some kind of weird setup where a transducer kind of thing plugged into the bridge, and that was wired into a little battery powered amp. Very cool. Soon I was playing Secret Agent Man, Wipeout, and I think maybe Satisfaction, but I soon had a problem. I'd play all day, my fingers would bleed, and the blood would get all over the neck and strings and then I couldn't play because..it hurt..and because it was sticky.

Needless to say, I kept at it, and now, 36 years later, I almost feel like I know what I'm doing...until I hear REAL guitar players and remember how good they make the instrument sound.

I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic school, became an altar boy, sang in the choir, played folk guitar at those new-fangled "folk masses" they started doing around 1966, and went to Catholic high school too...all boys. So the whole Jesus thing was pounded VERY deeply into me from a very young age.

Started really listening to music in '64 and started buying all the popular "45's". My first one was Downtown - Petula Clark, and eventually every other top 40 song in the next couple of years. Did my first slow dance with a girl to "To Sir With Love". Those school girl days.....

Music was pretty light at the time, but a couple of things kept peeking through, and somehow I heard most of them. I was still REAL innocent though, my friends were starting to listen to "albums" and were listening to FM, and I was still digging The Archies and Tommy James. In the middle of it though, were a couple of interesting things...Kenny Rogers (yup, same guy) did a real strange tune called Just Dropped In (to see what condition my condition was in), and I thought, "oh, this is very different". Then, Pictures of Matchstick Men turned up (Carl Palmer was the drummer in that band, as I recall). Hey, this stuff is pretty cool.

The first real revelation though was the Moody Blues. I finally decided that I should getting into albums, so I went to the record shop, looked around for a while, and came home with Every Good Boy Deservers Favour. What a great cover, I thought, and I already liked them, a friend used to play me some of the earlier albums.

Soon, I was putting the speakers on the bed and laying down between them so I could REALLY hear what was going on. Oh man, songs about little animals jamming in the woods, and other stuff like that. Now we're talking...this is MUSIC. The first song I learn from that one is Story In Your Eyes, wow, that was a great solo.

Suddenly, the floodgates open. Now I'm listening to all sorts of stuff, it was probably "summer of '69" by this point, so there was great music everywhere. But Yes eluded me for the most part. I knew about them, but there was no impression.

Keep playing for a few more years, by now hanging out in the park and jamming with other people, and already playing on stage by this point. I'm just growing up a bit.

Then, it all comes together. I could never reconcile all the garbage that was drummed into me in catholic school, and some things bothered me that I could never figure out....why were the catholics the only people who would go to heaven, why was everyone else doomed. We were taught that catholicism was the "one true religion". Wait a minute, what about the Jews, they're the "chosen people".

Then I got turned on to Close to the Edge..I guess I should leave that story for the "how did you get turned on to Yes" topic though.

One of the keys was certainly "a dewdrop can exalt us like the music of the sun". Of course, that's it. God is in everything, from the smallest drop of water to the most intense celestial light show. We are ALL his children, and all this organized religion stuff is just a tool some people need for whatever reason. It was suddenly clear to me that we are all, indeed, one, and the most important thing was enjoy the gift of life we have been given. A God this amazing wouldn't be looking for a world of people who spent their lives attending silly religious rituals, he'd be more likely to be happy with people who lived their lives true to themselves, and sought to never hurt anyone.

This may or may not have been around the first time I ..umm...heard about blotter :)

I have certainly experimented with a myriad of items over the years, but that has mostly passed. Mostly.

I played in rock bands throughout the 70's, when there was a big club scene - live music everywhere. But then punk and disco pretty much killed that off in a hurry. Soon, if you were a working band, you were out of work.

Got involved in the pet business for a while. First worked for 2 small aquariums, then opened a "portable" aquarium in an indoor weekend-only flea market in the early 80's. Got heavily involved in VERY exotic pets, everything from gila monsters to monitors to lories to Madagascar Cockroaches to big snakes. Was somewhat of a salt water fish expert - was invited to write a column for Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine after being the first to have a live birth of a Snowflake Moray Eel in captivity. It made all the papers. I've kept some very strange things at home, everything from a Midwestern Diamondback rattler to rare old world chameleons.

These days, I work for a real estate developer, been there for 12 years. I pretty much oversee day-to-day operations, and make key financial decisions. I'm also heavily involved with computers, so I run the network..netware 5, web server, fax server, groupwise, etc.

As far as computers, been involved since college (Electrical and Computer Engineering). Programmed the first version of After Hours on my TI-99/4a in 1985 in assembly language. After Hours was the first adult conversation bbs. Back then, most people thought it was nuts that people would actually go online (with their 300 baud modem) and write messages. Little did they know!

The software for YEStalk is a heavily modifed version of a public domain bbs program that I've done quite a bit of work on. Fez (a friend from After Hours) actually got me started on it, and he wrote some of the key routines that have enabled this to work. From there, I've been building in all sorts of enhancements. What's interesting about that is that I didn't know ASP until I started working on it, so it was slow going at first.

In 1996, I started The YES WebRing. Soon after, I added The Guitarists Complete Guide to YES, and then YEStalk. The guitar site came about because I always forget my yes tunes. I would spend months...no years...learning to play something like CTTE, then I'd get involved with something else for a while and completely forget it and have to relearn it again. Then, I saw all the inaccurate tab on the net, combined with commerically available books that completely skipped all the guitar solos. I had to do something for myself to remember, and figured I might as well share it.

Needless to say Howe has been quite an influence. I've studied his playing since the 70's, and never cease to be amazed at his ability to pull new things out of that treestump he plays. Unfortunately, he's sort of ruined a lot of things for me, because they don't stand up, so it's hard to enjoy a lot of music if I feel the guitar playing isn't good enough. That generally means that if you play the same blues scales that 10,000 other guitar players play, I'm not gonna listen.

My influences have been diverse though. Besides Howe, people like Carlos Santana, Joe Pass, Andres Segovia, David Gilmour, Steve Hackett, Mark Knopfler, Steve Morse, and some others are the kinds of guitarists I like to listen to. More generally, I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, but not as much anymore, and I find it hard to warm up to much of the newer stuff.

Newer stuff...liked Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, had a hard time with Dream Theatre, can't get into the Seattle thing either.

We went camping a few weeks ago, I brought some Zep, Floyd, Boston, Asia, GTR, YES, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Doors, and Eagles. Next time it might be completely different, Miles Davis, maybe some classical, or Loreena Mckennitt.

In 1999, I released "Millennium Guitar" a solo album of mostly classical guitar, featuring pieces by such diverse names as Segovia and Howe.

For about the last year of so, I've been spending every spare moment writing new music with Tim Martin. We're almost done, and we hope to have our album, tentatively titled "Ancestral Voyage" out maybe by the fall. It's a concept album of progressive music, and I would think that the target audience would be......everyone here :)

I don't drink much, but lately have been enjoying a shot of tequila now and then...that stemmed from a friend bringing me some homemade mescal moonshine a few years ago...another great story. And I enjoy a good beer once in a while..Spaten Optimator or a Celebrator would be best, but I like a Heinekin too.

I've been to around 30 yes shows over the years, spent many nights at Madison Square Garden too far back to see anything. In those days, they'd sell out the Garden for about a week straight. $10.50 for Orchestra seats!

I missed them on the Drama tour, and I'm sorry I missed that.

I skipped every show during the Dark Ages, but was first on line when the Rennaisance arrived. Yeswest..or Cinema...was a great band, I just wish they didn't insist on using the name they did. Trevor and his Backup Band would have been more appropriate. I know, I'm gonna hear it now. Did I forget to reveal that I've become opinionated :)

Almost "sat this one out", but when tix weren't $100 each, immediately grabbed 4, and will be "cautiously optimistic" about the concert. PREDICTION COMING: I'm POSITIVE we're gonna hear stuff from the new album, so how could I miss it. On the other hand, remember my last prediction was that there wouldn't be a next album, so don't depend on me for anything.

I guess if I had kept this short, someone would have actually read it, but this is exactly what happens, I start something, and get carried away. I should be doing stuff at After Hours, I should be writing music, I should be cleaning up, I should be working on the software update for the board...uh oh, today's Deb's birthday, I should be wrapping her present instead of writing this. Yikes!

I guess one of the things I'm happiest about is how nice things have remained at YEStalk! Don't yell at me for not being around so much, hopefully our music will be worth the wait!

WELL, this is my first message in this topic. I, too are way behind. So, where should I start? I am 14 years old, going on 15, and am the biggest Yesfan in my city. Except for my friend Denver! I have a big brother and a younger sister. My sister has Down Syndrome and had open-heart surgery when she was 5. My brother has A.D.H.D. He is 16 and she is 11. I am in the 9th grade and you wouldn't believe how many people waste their time on boybands and other horsecrap!

I first heard Yes on the radio(Owner, duh!) Then i found out that my dad was/is a Yesfan. He told me, listen to this and put Yessongs on the record player! Has anyone ever noticed that Yessongs are more natural sounding and relaxing on record? Anyway, I have expanded my cd/album collection to about 14. I am also probably going to the Yessymphonic tour in August at Wolftrap.

I have been though so much shit in my life! My brother has been in the D-home 3 or 4 times, been to court who knows how many times, and been to a boy's home for a year-and-a-half. And the worst part about it is that my sister doesn't understand. She has it in her mind that Drew comes home for a little while and then goes away, and then comes back. Sorry for getting a little side-tracked there but it leads up to something. It leads up to me listening to Yes music. I feel so relaxed and at ease when I listen to Yes music. I just sit in my room and listen to Tales! Yes has also helped me get through 3 deaths in my family. My 2 Grandmothers and my great-grandmother. I never got to meet my Granddads. This may sound depressing, but I am not. I am a very happy person actually! I am in a band where I play guitar. I am also in the High school jazz band in which I play guitar also, and regular concert band.

I used to go to church, but now I don't. I don't know why. I am just wondering if I believe in God. Even though Yes' music is kind of religious, I don't know right now...

Christ where to start, this is a very good topic and I've really enjoyed reading about everyone else. I'm 38 years old, a US citizen living in Quebec. I began listening and fell in love with Yes at the age of 8 when my aunt gave me Close to the Edge. I've seen Yes 9 times so far I think, beginning with Going for the one and last one was Masterworks. What an absolute treat that was and it definately was my favorite concert so far.

About myself, I have a controversial life is the best way I can put it. After my parents divorce when I was 10, I fell into drugs and alcohol. I went from straight A's to straight F's in one year and was thrown out of two schools. I ran away to Florida when I was 15 and became a stripper in Fort Lauderdale. I became a feature exotic dancer over time and used to dance to Yes music sometimes. My favorite Siberian Khatru with a double sheer lime green and trans red cape (Roger dean colors). I left dancing as a career at age 24 when I met my Quebeqois husband. After 5 years of marriage my alcoholism escalated and threatened the loss of my then 1 year old boy and my marriage. I joined a twelve step group and am nine years sober. In sobriety I have quit smoking and obtained my G.E.D and I found myself accidentally with the talent to organize events. I've organized over 20 successful sober events and have met alot of wonderful people and worked with many wonderful entertainers as a result. I am founder and first president for a 4 day camping festival in NH much like a sober stock. The Half Moon Sober Festival attracts 5000 patrons and is now in its 6 year. I came up here to Quebec with my husband 3 years ago and sorry to say have regretted that move ever since. It's destroyed my marriage. I am moving out with my children in 2 months and will be enjoying at least two years man free while I enjoy my children and learn to be alone. I am currantly working on a regional convention (couldn't stay away from organizing even in moose country).

I like alot of different kinds of music from the sex pistols to old rush to mozart to old country and western "Your cheating heart" to the goo goo dolls and type o negative but I am forever and formost a Yes fanatic. My son is also a Yes fan too, he's 10 now and just saw his first yes concert at the masterworks tour. He wants to badly go to see this tour coming up, I do too but don't think I can afford it with all the transitions going on.

I love good science fiction and am an old trekkie, I find the new one to be more soap operish. Love isaac isamov and arthur C. Clark. I am spiritual and have a very strong faith in God but more in the Emmet Fox and Gary Zukov way rather than religious. I also handcraft intriquite beaded jewellry and must say with that Roger Dean has a big influence on me there too. My favorite Yes musician(s) can't pick one, sorry, are John Anderson, Steve Howe and Chris Squire.

I know Im pumped to finally get "Lateralus" this week, how 'bout you? :)
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></font id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
eric I just picked up "Lateralus"today and have been listening to it
first impressions are not allways good so i will wait a week or two to say what i think
but way - cool packaging for sure

<hr>"Jon gave the best description of himself to me, better than anyone else could do. He said, "I am the only man who is fighting to save this world while living on another!" -- Rick, '94, Yesstories.

As promised, or actually as threatened (Ha!), N2yes has appeared. Frightening isn't it? The quality is not the best and after a little compressing...well, oh nevermind. Now I can see all of you while you review the posts!!! hehehe! <font color=red></font id=red><img src=pix/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Yeah Ed, it took me a bit to figure it out but I got it to work. I agree, I like the more personal "feel" pic posting tends to promote. I hope others will soon follow suit.<font color=red></font id=red><img src=pix/icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
As promised, or actually as threatened (Ha!), N2yes has appeared. Frightening isn't it? The quality is not the best and after a little compressing...well, oh nevermind. Now I can see all of you while you review the posts!!! hehehe! <font color=red></font id=red><img src=pix/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

N2YES thats cool, I'm seeing "Easy Rider" from over here. I'm going to have to dig one out thats not too frightening if I can find someone to scan the photo. Or maybe I'll just use one of John Hurt taken from the elephant man (with all the garish make up on).
<img src=pix/silly.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=pix/icon_smokin.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=pix/salook.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=pix/jestera.gif border=0 align=middle>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I'm seeing "Easy Rider" from over here<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></font id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>I'm seeing more of a Blue Velvet, or purplepoof. I guess I'll have to convince one of my digital camera friends to get my mug up on the 'net, so we can make fun of it.

<hr>Waiting for the moment when the moment has been waiting all the time.

Massos, it's the shades man...the shades. Jackalz, you may be interested to know that when I wear this purple down parka, my wife refers to me as "purplepoof". How's that for coincidence?<font color=red></font id=red><img src=pix/icon_smokin.gif border=0 align=middle>

Well, there you have it Jackalz. I have learned something new again today ( one must strive for this everyday lest you invite neural decay!). How about that? Didn't know. Hmmm...well, actually my oldest son uses homestead and he had me posted there and needing a url as I did, well, the rest is history.<font color=red></font id=red><img src=pix/icon_smokin.gif border=0 align=middle>

I really didn't see the point of posting a pic, until it became second nature at After Hours. I didn't want to be one of the faceless--If I had an odd point to make, I wanted to back it up as a real person, and not an anonymous cyber-entity.

I need to change my pic, but I do like the one I have. I tend to puntuate conversation with my hands, and I wanted to convey that sense of myself.

Now if we only had some female faces . . . <img src=pix/icon_smokin.gif border=0 align=middle>

As soon as I get a scanner and get some good "thin" pics taken of myself (less the 40 pound loss), maybe I'll consider it. I'm kinda shy, so I may rule out the bikini! <img src=pix/icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
N2yes, are you wearing gold chains with the purple parka? I'm kinda partial to purple! Do you always wear your shades -- do they change color with light? Very, very cool!
<img src=pix/icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>
Proffet, you remind me of a biology teacher I once had who used his hands to express himself a lot, too! He looked a lot like you; did you ever teach in the Southwest? <img src=pix/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>
I enjoy the pics! Ed, you are one nice-looking guy! You look the outdoorsy type. I can picture you with the hiking shorts, backpack, etc...
The thing is, I just don't know if I can compete with all you guys! ~~ <img src=pix/icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>